KAFKA's DICK. To 27 November.

Derby

KAFKA'S DICK
by Alan Bennett

Derby Playhouse To 27 November 2004
mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Wed 2.30pm
Runs 2hr One interval

Box Office: 01332 363275
www.derbyplayhouse.co.uk
Review: Jan Pick 15November

Beware of the Tortoise! in visual feast made out of Bennett.The indomitable Dame Sarah Brignall graciously introduced a packed audience to the Derby Playhouse production of Alan Bennett's Kafka's Dick and left us, with a metaphorical gentle pat on the head, to the delights of this strange mix of the scatological, sexual, intellectual and just plain weird.

Led by no less a person than the famous Dame herself, a talented ensemble leapt into the frenetic madness of the evening with considerable brio. There were moments when the gags did not quite come off, and occasionally lines were garbled and indistinct, but generally the audience were well served by the hard working cast.

The realistic drawing room set, with garden beyond designed of course to reflect Dame Sarah's drawing room - contrasted beautifully with the surreal happenings within and without. Lovely comic touches included birds' flapping slowly past the French windows, particularly the one taking a very insalubrious dip in the bird bath to accompanying groans and giggles from the audience. The performance of the tortoise was particularly splendid, both as itself and in its metamorphosis and as for the flamingo . !

The surreal happenings in Sydney and Linda's drawing room were punctuated by the amusing but scarily Kafkaesque plight of her aging father and his desperate attempts to avoid the humiliation of being placed in a home for the senile. It all culminated in a heavenly cabaret - another chance for the talented designer to impress. God' presides over the music hall patter and excruciating jokes (some of which were actually funny) and with a series of in-jokes about Derby's incredibly popular Eagle Centre which involved volcanoes - and its architect, the evening ended on an audience appreciation high!

Quite an experience to spend a Monday evening in a packed out theatre, but this production, deservedly, is almost sold out, so get your tickets quickly!

Hermann: Tim Barlow
Linda: Dame Sarah Brignall
Sydney: Ajay Chhabra
Father: John Delaney
Kafka: Conor Moloney
Max Brod: Neil Warhurst

Director: Cal McCrystal
Designer: Sue Mayes
Lighting Designer: David Phillips
Sound Designer: Paul Delaney
Video Designer: Kit Lane

2004-11-21 03:24:24